Farms bordering Potomac and Darnestown are drawing growing crowds as agritourism booms across Montgomery County's 93,000-acre Agricultural Reserve. The reserve, a protected swath of working farmland established in 1980, shapes the rural character of River Road and surrounding communities.

Butler's Orchard in Germantown welcomes more than 100,000 visitors a year, with families traveling from across the D.C. region for experiences ranging from berry picking to seasonal festivals. General Manager Tyler Butler told WTOP the demand has accelerated since the pandemic.

"People have always wanted to really embrace agriculture and farming, and get back to, you know, their roots. But especially since COVID, agritourism, agriculture entertainment, agritainment has really taken off," Butler said.

The numbers back him up. Montgomery County's farm alcohol production sector more than doubled between 2018 and 2024, growing from six licensed wineries, breweries and cideries to 13 licensed operations, according to county data reported by WTOP. Gross sales jumped from about $2.9 million to nearly $16.8 million over the same period. Butler's own Doc Waters Cidery lets visitors pick apples and drink beverages made from fruit grown on the farm.

At Comus Farm in Dickerson, owners Lauren and Iago Huyser have expanded beyond traditional agriculture into alpaca feeding, wagon rides, a wedding and event venue and sales of fresh baked goods, jams and eggs through local markets and farm visits. Lauren Huyser told WTOP that visitors often say they're searching for something hard to find in urban areas: quiet.

Mike Scheffel, director of Montgomery County's Office of Agriculture, said agritourism helps farms stay viable. Bringing the public onto a working farm to teach them about agriculture is "a fantastic way to diversify a farm's revenue stream," Scheffel told WTOP.

The reserve covers roughly one-third of the county's total land area. More than 77 percent of it is locked under permanent agricultural easements that block residential and commercial development, according to the county. It is home to more than 580 farms and 350 horticultural businesses, which collectively contribute more than $280 million to the county's economy.

Several of the reserve's agritourism operations sit within a few miles of Potomac Village. Windridge Vineyards is located at 15700 Darnestown Road in Darnestown. Comus Farm and Butler's Orchard are accessible north on Route 28. Without the 1980 protections, Scheffel noted, much of this land could have been developed into housing decades ago.

Twenty-six farms will open their gates for the Montgomery County Farm Tour and Harvest Sale on Saturday and Sunday, July 25-26, including Windridge Vineyards in Darnestown. Three farms join for the first time: Brookeville Beer Farm, East Oaks Farm and Song Dog Farm Distillery. Most locations are free to enter, and visitors can plan routes using the Visit Montgomery Adventure Planner app.

Butler said visitors regularly thank his family for keeping the farm going. "Thank you for being here, thank you for not selling," people tell him.